True. According to Memory Alpha, Picard's mother also spoke with a distinct French accent, while his father and his brother spoke with an English accent. So, it's probably Picard's father who must have had some kind of British background (the mother of Picard's father being British? ).

So, it's probably Picard's father who must have had some kind of British background (the mother of Picard's father being British? ).

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I have twin cousins who went from Australia to London on working holidays in the early 1980s. They were away almost two years. Now in their 50s, one has deliberately retained the English accent she picked up there. The other quickly reverted to a typical Aussie accent.

And just who would that have been that died in the transporter for that one-off scene? Chekov? Sulu? Uhura?

"Matt Franklin" was chosen precisely because it was no one we would have cared about. The episode was about Scotty, not about someone else that we have an emotional attachment to just being told that they're dead.

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But they had all been dead by the time anyways.

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How can you be sure of that? McCoy and Spock lived through the intervening years the hard way, after all.

And just who would that have been that died in the transporter for that one-off scene? Chekov? Sulu? Uhura?

"Matt Franklin" was chosen precisely because it was no one we would have cared about. The episode was about Scotty, not about someone else that we have an emotional attachment to just being told that they're dead.

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But they had all been dead by the time anyways.

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How can you be sure of that? McCoy and Spock lived through the intervening years the hard way, after all.

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McCoy, presumably, would've been on the extreme end of a human life span. Spock would pretty much be middle-aged.

And just who would that have been that died in the transporter for that one-off scene? Chekov? Sulu? Uhura?

"Matt Franklin" was chosen precisely because it was no one we would have cared about. The episode was about Scotty, not about someone else that we have an emotional attachment to just being told that they're dead.

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But they had all been dead by the time anyways.

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You misunderstood me. When the Jenolan crashed and Scotty and Matt Franklin went into the pattern buffer, Chekov, Sulu and Uhura were very much alive. That's the OP's point: he wanted a known character instead of Franklin.

No, I am not in favor of established Trek characters being pointlessly killed, especially off-screen. Generations had some of that (Picard's brother and nephew, and Kirk) which I felt ruined the movie, and left a sour taste in many fans' mouths.

He was a passenger, not part of a crew so he wouldn't be with any of his former colleagues. Although as a passenger he traveled with his uniform on despite being retired.

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That uniform bit is true. Although I must admit I've seem my share of retired guys still wearing their shop uniforms (the kind with the name on the pocket). I guess they do get to be comfortable work clothes, whether you're "at work" or not.

I've also somewhat reconsidered my original question. I wasn't clamoring for anyone we "know" to have been killed, but it just seems Matt Franklin kind of got forgotten, "Sigh...he was a good man." Doohan could have done more with that, but I guess it wasn't in the script. That's why I pointed to his unused Peter Preston scene in ST II. It was actually quite moving...but then again it's not the sort of scene we associate with Scotty. It's always affecting when someone you know gets emotional, especially if that's not their normal "thing".

I basically took it, for some reason, that Scotty and Franklin met on the voyage, much as you meet someone sitting next to you on a plane. You start talking, and discover you might have much in common.

I basically took it, for some reason, that Scotty and Franklin met on the voyage, much as you meet someone sitting next to you on a plane. You start talking, and discover you might have much in common.

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This was the impression that I got, as well, and I still think it is the correct one.

Relics ... a "missed opportunity"? I found this episode to be dipping once too often into the TOS well, if you ask me. I preferred it, actually, when TOS wasn't mentioned, or involved in TNG, because there was no need for it. Over 3 quarters of a century seperated the two eras and there wasn't a lot of commonality outside of STARFLEET and some key species. The camp was kept at a minimum, in TNG, for example. This episode was almost embarassing to watch as a fan of both series. But Jimmy Doohan needed the work, I suppose, and I would never begrudge the man keeping food on the table. After all, his gerth had to be maintained ...

Relics ... a "missed opportunity"? I found this episode to be dipping once too often into the TOS well, if you ask me. I preferred it, actually, when TOS wasn't mentioned, or involved in TNG, because there was no need for it. Over 3 quarters of a century seperated the two eras and there wasn't a lot of commonality outside of STARFLEET and some key species. The camp was kept at a minimum, in TNG, for example. This episode was almost embarassing to watch as a fan of both series. But Jimmy Doohan needed the work, I suppose, and I would never begrudge the man keeping food on the table. After all, his gerth had to be maintained ...

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You put a respectful tongue in your head! Scotty was out saving the universe, while your precious Riker's grandpa was still in diapers!

Fully agreed that the crew acts weird around Scotty, but at least he gets a kiss from the pretty lady at the end of the episode. That's the Scotty that I know and love. It doesn't redeem everything, but leave it to him to squeeze out a bit more juice from the ordeal.

I did like that little conversation he had with Picard, but it shouldn't take the captain to know how to treat someone with basic respect, much less a guy with the experiences that Scotty has had. If the same thing happen today, where a person from 100 or even 50 years ago was transported to today, scholars and scientists would be picking their brain for weeks, at least.

I think they were being respectful to Scotty, but they also had a job to do. Geordi didn't get short with Scotty until Scotty started messing around with things that he didn't understand and telling Geordi how to do his job.

I'd also argue that the TOS crew isn't supposed to be quite as famous in the Trek setting as they are to us. Sure, Kirk's Enterprise and the missions that it undertook might be well known, but there would be many other stories in Starfleet history that we don't know about. And take any famous naval battle in the Pacific during WWII...how many of us can name the chief engineers of the U.S. carriers and battleships from those battles?

I'd also argue that the TOS crew isn't supposed to be quite as famous in the Trek setting as they are to us. Sure, Kirk's Enterprise and the missions that it undertook might be well known, but there would be many other stories in Starfleet history that we don't know about. And take any famous naval battle in the Pacific during WWII...how many of us can name the chief engineers of the U.S. carriers and battleships from those battles?

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The Whalesong incident alone would have made them bigger than the Beatles. And as to your last point, how many of us are serving as chief engineers on ships with the same name? You might be right about the general populace, but *the crew of an Enterprise* and especially a chief engineer should know the significance of Montgomery Scott.

As I said, every character has their fans. You might believe Saavik or Carol are of "no consequence", but starting "Relics" with the off-screen death of Saavik would have totally derailed the episode for Saavik appreciators.

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They had no issues with killing off Kirk and Sarek, so I'm not sure killing off a non-generic character was the reason we got "Matt Franklin".

Probably more to do with having to pay royalties to a writer for using a previously created character.